Clothespin making machine



Jan. 26, 1954 H. A. LlsHERNL-:ss

CLOTHESPIN MAKING MACHINE 4 Shees-Sheet l Filed Jan. 14, 1949 Jan. 26, 1954 H. A. LlsHERNEss 2,667,191 CLOTHESPIN MAKING MACHINE Filed Jan. 14, 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 gmc/mw Jan. 26, 1954 H. A. LlsHERNEss CLOTHESPIN MAKING MACHINE Filed Jan. 14, 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 DDD UDB

Jan. 26, 1954 H. A. LlsHERNEss 2,667,191

CLOTHESPIN MAKING MACHINE Filed Jan. 14'. 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 3 wv www jillmwmlsezm Patented Jan. 26, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CLOTHESPIN MAKING MACHINE Hillman A. Lisherness, North Anson, Maine, as-

signor, by mesne assignments, to Forster Mfg. Co., Inc., a corporation of Maine Application January 14, 1949, Serial No. 70,986

7 Claims.

This invention relates in general to an automatic machine for making wooden clothespins and the like and more particularly to machines for automatically shaping and slotting clothespins from wooden dowels, wherein the dowels are properly oriented and continuously advanced individually through a plurality of forming operations and delivered from the machine in a iinished condition.

Heretofore, automatic clothespin turning and slotting machines have, in general, been designed to operate in an interrupted series of steps or stages, advancing dowels or similar stock pieces intermittently into operative relation with a shaping cutter, usually requiring auxiliary turning chucks or similar position-altering means to be brought into engagement with each dowel for rotating the dowel while it is positioned before the cutter so as to shape the dowels symmetrically about their centers. The dowels are then advanced into position adjacent a rotating slotting sawV at which point the shaped dowels are individually clamped and the slotting saw moved into position to `cut a slot in each of the dowels of an appropriate preselected depth. In the interest of minimizing the complexity of such clothespin forming machines by a reduction in the number of moving parte and auxiliary operating mechanisms associated with the various operations, of increasing the rate of production of finished pins, and thus eiecting a consequent reduction in initial outlay, maintenance and operating costs, it is highly desirable to dispense with the step-by-step or intermittent method of feeding and shaping the dowel blanks and provide for continuous advancing of the dowel blanks through the various operational stages, and particularly to provide for shaping and slotting the dowel blanks while they are seated on continuous conveyors without requiring the use of additional chucks, clamps or other auxiliary means for interrupting the feeding of the blanks and positioning the blanks relative to the shaping and slotting means.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is the provision of a novel machine for automatically turning finished symmetrical articles wherein blanks of which such articles are to be formed are continuously advanced through the machine.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a novel machine for automatically turning and slottingsymmetrical articles from wooden or plastic blanks, and the like, `wherein the blanks from which such articles are formed are continuously advanced through the turning and clotting stages of the machine.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a novel machine for automatically arranging, shaping and clotting blanks of a turnable material into clothespins wherein the blanks 2 are continuously fed during the shaping and slotting operations and delivered from the machine in a iinished condition.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a novel machine for automatically making clothespins from blanks of a turnable material characterized by uniformity and certainty of operation, continuous feeding of the blanks through the various operations, greater output and reduction of the number oi moving parts therein and accordingly of the costs oi` production, maintenance, repair and operation thereof.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a novel feeding mechanism for an automatic machine for making symmetrically turned, slotted articles wherein blanks of a turnable material are advanced continuously from a supply source through various shaping and slotting stages required in the production of the nished turned article and the article delivered from the machine in a finished condition.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of novel means in a machine for automatically making clothespins wherein blanks in the form of cylindrical dowels of a turnable material such as wood, plastic, or the like, are advanced continuously in a progressive series from a supply hopper through shaping and slotting stages required in the production of a finished clothespin andthe turned article is delivered from the machine in a inished condition.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of novel means in a machine for automatically making clothespins adapted to maintain dowel blanks from which such clothespins are to be formed continuously seated and accurately oriented on continuous conveyor means therefor when such dowel blanks are brought into operative relation with shaping and slotting means provided therein.

Other objects, advantages and capabilities of the present invention will become apparent from the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings showing only a preferred embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a clothespin machine embodying the present invention, wherein portions of various inwardly positioned components of the machine are indicated in dotted lines for clarity of illustration;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the clothespin slotting and shaping machine;

Figure 3 is a vertical transverse section view of a portion of the clothespin shaping and slotting machine taken along the lines 3 3 of Figure 1, and particularly illustrating the rotary feed drum, shaping cutter, and dowel retaining means, and the drive mechanisms therefor;

Figure 4 is a vertical transverse section View member having a rotary length of thefstock pieces,

,piece being cut by relation through the slotting channel in the instant machine;

Figure 6 is a vertical transverse section taken on the lines -i'i of Figure 5, illustrating particularly the slotting channel in the instant machine, and

Fig. 7 is a sectional view 3, showing a portion of the carrier larger scale than Fig. 3.V Y

The invention in general comprises a shaping cutter, a slotting cutter, and rotary carrier means for advancing blanks the article to be formed continuously through the shaping and slotting stages and Vdelivering taken similarly to Fig. on a somewhat the article from the machine in the finished form. l

To accomplish this, a rotary feed drum having a plurality ci" peripheral seats formed thereon to receive and seat the blanks or stock pieces in an aligned, transversely oriented single series, is associated with each of the cutters, each'being continuously driven to insure the uninterrupted advance of thef stock pieces through the shaping and slotting stages.

The first feed drum is adapted to receive the stock pieces from a supply hopper or similar deviceand arrange the pieces in transversely oriented seated relation thereon in successive peripheral order. The stock pieces, usually in the form of a cylindrical dowel, are continuously advanced about an arcuate path defined by the periphery of the rotary feed drum into a position to be successively engaged by a driven shaper cutter head formed of a plurality of radial blades shaped to correspond to a portion of the outline projection of the finished article. The driven shaper member is fixedly positioned inwardly of the periphery of the feed drum to engage and cut away the inwardly disposed incident surfaces of the stock pieces as the stock pieces are advanced intera position adjacent the cutter head. The seats of the vfeed drum for this purpose have lateral slots formed at the base thereof and extend substantially the through which the blades of the cutter head can enter the seats and shape the incident surfaces of the stock pieces. To insure symmetrical shaping of the surfaces oi the piecesI about their longitudinal center axes, the finished articles being substantially of torcidal outline, a continuously driven wheel member is positioned outwardly of the periphery of the feed drum adjacent the cutter head with its pe-V ripheral surface disposed to bear on the surfaces of the stock pieces facing away from the cutter head when the stock piece is positioned to be engaged by the cutter heachto impart rotation tothe stock pieces within its seat in the feed drum. In this manner, the surfaces of the stock pieces are accurately symmetrically shaped about their centers over their entire lateral surfaces in accordance with the desired finished surface p pattern.

To prevent the stock pieces seated adjacent the the cutter head from being dislodged from'their seats by reason of engage ment with projections on less beltrmeans mounted on driven pulley memof the material of which 9 the cutter blades, end- Y Y bers and positioned to vformity of length of the articles, and

losses at the slotting stage due to tear-outs,lias` y resiliently bear upon a plurality of such stock pieces and lying in an arcuate path corresponding to and extending along a portion of the periphery of the first feed drum is provided, the belt means being operative to retain the several stock pieces positioned near the cutter head in seated condition when engaged by the cutter head.

. An additional feed drum is intercoupled withv the rst feed drum through a transfer chute eX- tending therebetween, adapted to receive the shaped stock pieces from the first feed Vdrum and feed them in properly oriented and aligned fashion into a horizontal channel operative to convey the stock pieces without rotation past 'a continuously driven slotting saw positioned to extend laterally into the channel Vand cut slots of a preselected depth in the stock pieces. Friction means are provided in the channel abutting a side and end of the stock pieces to Vprevent relative rotation of the pieces in the channel, and actuator means are disposed at'the feed end of the channel to periodically engage the pieces and urge them through the channel in laterally abutting relation.

In this manner, a finished turned andV slotted article of toroidal outline is automatically produced and delivered in finished condition, wherein the stock pieces of which the article is formed are continuously fed through the various'operational stages of the machine and wherein great accuracy in defining the diameter and surface contours of the Finished articles, greater uni-v reduced the pins are retained in closely laterally abutting relation at this stage, are all effectively real` ized by the particular arrangement' and inter-V relation ofthe components in the instant device.

The present invention will be more fully understood from the following detailed description of the embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate corresponding. parts throughout the several figures. Referring particularly to'Figures l to 3, inclusive, of the accompanying drawings, the various components of the clothespin machine are all mounted on a main supporting frame, generally indicated at lil, consisting of a 'network of vertical and horizontal'frame members pref# erably constructed of steel I-bcams or like commercially available structural members. posed to the left of the frame member It, as viewed in Figure i, is a supply hopper or feed trough Il adapted to house a large supply of cylindrical dowel members, generally indicated at l2, of wood, plastic, o-r like turnable materials, in a generally vertically arranged group of the width of the dowel members I2, the supply hopper HV being disposed at such an angle that the dowcl members contained therein are maintained lying on transverse, mutually parallel axes and urgedrby gravity in single successive order toward an opening i 3 disposed in a restricted chute Hl formed at the inwardly disposed end of the hopper H. The opening I3 at the inner end of the feed hopper Il is disposed in juxtaposed relation with the peripheralsurface of a first feed drum, indicated at I5, constructed generally in the form of a cylindrical drum having a plurality of peripherally disposed seats l formed thereon by slots disposed in the side of the drum l5.. The seatsl I6 on the periphery of the drum i5 are oriented transversely to lie in mutually parallel axes parallel to the central axis of the drum l5 Disand dispose the stock pieces I2 in parallel transversely oriented relation about the periphery of the drum. The seats I6 are adapted to successively receive the stock pieces I2, from the supply hopper I I as the stock pieces are urged in the direction of the feed drum I by gravity.

The feed drum I5 is adapted to be rotated about a transverse horizontal axis and for this purpose it is provided with a shaft I1 keyed to a hub I8 at the center thereof and extending through a pair of spaced bearing members I3 and I9 disposed on bracket frames 20' and 20 extending across the frame I0, to rigidly support the feed drum I 5 for rotary movement about the horizontal axis defined by the shaft I1. The feed drum I5 is accordingly adapted to advance the stock pieces I2 clockwise in a curvilinear path away from the opening I3 at the inwardly disposed end of the supply hopper II. The side of the feed drum I5 in which the seats I6 are defined is provided with a plurality of laterally extending slots 2i at the base of the seats I6 corresponding to the seats I6 so that the inner surfaces of the stock pieces I2 disposed in the seats I6 will be exposed inwardly of the side of the feed drum I5. Transverse strips 22 are provided at spaced intervals along each of the slots 2l to support the stock pieces I2 disposed in the peripheral seats I6. p

Spaced a short distancefrom the inwardly disposed opening I3 of the supply hopper II in the path of the peripheral seats I6 Aon the sides of the feed drum I5 is a driver kick-back wheel member 23 mounted on a horizontal shaft 24 journaled to appropriate mounting bracket members on the frame member I0, disposed to engage the radially outwardly disposed surfaces of the stock pieces I2 in the peripheral seats it. The wheel 23 is provided to engage stock pieces disposed in the peripheral seats I 6 where more than one stock piece I2 may have become seated in a single peripheral seat I5 and direct the additional stock pieces rearwardly Valong the periphery of the feed drum I5, ment of the stock pieces I2 in single peripheral order about the feed drum I5.

This is eiected by a continuously driving kick-V back wheel member 23 ina clockwise direction relative to the shaft 24 so that the peripheral surface of the kick-back wheel will be operative to cam such additional stock pieces I2 rearwardly in the direction of the supply hopper I I, the wheel member 23 being driven through belt drive 24 from an auxiliary drive shaft 25 and electric motor 26 intercoupled through a gear reduction box 21, all mounted atop the main supporting frame I 0.

Disposed inwardly of the periphery of the feed drum I5 and angularly displaced in the direction of rotation from the wheel 23 is a shaper member comprising a rotary cutter head 30 having a plurality of radially extending cutter blades 3| disposed about the periphery thereof and mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis defined by a shaft 32 coupled thereto and extending through bearing members 33 and 33 suspended by supporting straps 34'and 34 from the main frame I 0. The cutter blades 3i are formed in the manner of templates defining along their outer edges a portion of the outline projection of thenished shaped article, the outer cutting edges of the blades 3I being adapted to engage the inwardly disposed incident surfacesof the stock pieces I2 disposed in the peripheral seats I6 of the feed drum I5 successively as the to'insure the arrangefeed drum is advanced in a clockwise direction, the blades 3l extending through the slots 2| formed at the bases of the seats I6.

The cutter head is adapted to be continuously driven in a rotary manner at a high rate of speed relativeV to that of the feed drum I5 by means of an electric motor 35 of conventional commercially available type mounted on the main supporting frame I0, and for this purpose is provided with a pulley member 35 disposed on the shaft 32 and intercoupled by means of abelt or similar drive coupling 31 with a driven pulley 38 disposed on the shaft 39 of the electric motor 35.

To insure symmetrical shaping of the stock piece I2 when it is being engaged by the blades 3| of the cutter head 30 throughout the entire lateral surface area of the stock piece I2, a stock piece rotating wheel 40 is positioned outwardly of the periphery of the feed drum I5 in the path of the stock pieces seated therein to engage the upwardly disposed surface of the stock piece being shaped by the cutter head 30 and rotate the stock piece about its center within the peripheral seat I6 to expose all portions of the lateral surface of the stock piece to the cutter blades 3| through the slots 2I in the bases of the peripheral seats I6. The wheel 40 is mount-p ed on a horizontally disposed shaft 4I journaled in bearing brackets 42 suspended from the main frame I0, the shaft being provided'with a pulley 43 coupled by means of a crossed drive belt 44 with a pulley 'on the auxiliary drive shaft 25 associated with the lelectric motor 26.

Resilient hold-down ybelt members 45 are likewise provided above the periphery of the feed drum I5and adjacent the cutter head 30 to bear upon a plurality of the stock pieces I2 in the peripheral seats I6 of the feed drum I5 disposed adjacent the cutter headto prevent the stock pieces I2 from being dislodged from the peripheral seats on engagement with the cutter blades 3|. These belt members 45 are disposed about a pair of dual pulley members 46 andv 41 mounted Y on shafts 48 and 43"journaled in bearing brackets 50 and 5I, respectively, vmounted on the main frame member I0, the dual pulley members 46 and 41 being so` positioned relative to the feed drum member I5 that the lower portion of the belt members 45`are disposed along curvilinear path corresponding to theV peripheral surface of the feed drum to engage the upper surfaces of the stock pieces I2 over a substantial segment of the periphery of the feed drum. The relatively upwardly disposed dual pulley member 46 is'provided with a driven pulley 52 mounted on the shaft 48 and is intercoupled by a belt drive 53 with the auxiliary drive shaft 25 associated with electric motor 26 to drive the belt members 45 in a counterclockwise direction along the periphery'of the feed drum I5.

An arcuate shield member 54 disposed in the direction of rotation of the feed drum from the belt members 43 extends a substantial distance over the downward portion of the peripheral path of the feed drum I5 to retain the shaped stock pieces I2 seated within their seats I 6 along the periphery of the feed drum I5 as the stock pieces are advanced downwardly from the cutter head 30. A transverse chute member 55 is provided at the lower end of the shield 54 adapted to receive the shaped stock pieces I2 and direct them in a downwardly inclined path from the peripheral seats I6 of the rst feeddrum I5 to a second feed drum member disposed on a horizontal axis parallel to `and laterallyV and downwardly disposed to the axis of the first feed drum member l5. YTo insure that Ythe shaped stock pieces l2 are effectively dislodged from their seats i6 in the feed drum 45 and directed into the transfer chute 55, an eccentric push-out cam 56 isY mounted on a shaft 5'? inwardly of the periphery of the feed drum l5 to periodically engage the inwardly disposed surfaces of the seated stock pieces l2 and urge them outwardly of the seats l5, the shaft 51 being continuously driven through belt and pulley coupling 58 from the electric motor 35.

The second feed drum 6B is mounted on a horizontal shaft 5l journaled and bearing brackets 62 and 62' mounted on the main supporting member i@ for rotation in a clockwise direction about the shaft 6i, and is provided with peripheral seats 83 along the side thereof corresponding to the peripheral seats i6 in the iirst feed drum i5 for receiving and advancing in successive peripheral order the shaped stock pieces t2 from the lower end of the transfer chute 55.

Both the feed drums l5 and Se are adapted to j be driven from an electric motor B5 of conventional design mounted on the main supporting frame lll, the electric motor 65 being coupled to the second feed drum 60 through a sprocket 66 mounted onthe shaft Si of theelectric motor 65 i coupled lthroughra chain 58 to a sprocket te on the drive/input shaft *it of a reduction gearing box li, the reduction gearing box havingv algear 'l2 at the output thereof engaging a gear 13 coil springs 9i bearing upon the upper surfacesl of the flanged channel members 8l Vand 3l. and resiliently urging them downwardly to engage the upper surfaces of the shaped stock piecesxiZ in the slotting channel Sli. By means of the resilient pressure of the springs 3E and Si, the side Vplate 84 and the upper hanged channel plates 81281V are maintained in abutting relation with the adjacent surfaces of the shaped stock pieces l2 disposed within the slotting channel lSil to resist any tendency of the ,shaped stock pieces within the channel to rotate as they are urged y along the channel 8i), Athis being effected as the frictional pressure exerted on the adjacent faces of the shaped stock pieces by theresiliently positioned plates 8111, Si' and 8i' is maintained substantially equal to that of the, fixed walls of the channelili and the vsurfaces of'thelshaped stock 1 pieces 432 so that any torque imparted tothe keyed to the shaft Si of the second feed drum SQ, l

the ratio of the gears 12 and f3v and the speedY reduction ratio in thel gear box i 'being provided to drive the feed drums l5 and EB at a slowrate of speed relative to the cutter headii andfdowel Y rotating wheel 40 driven by the electric `motors and 26 respectively. Rotation is imparted in the first feed drum I5 from the second feed drum 69 byV means ;of sprockets i4 and "l5 fixedly mounted on the feed drum shafts 6l and il respectively, intercoupled by means of a sprocket chain f6, idle sprockets 1? and 'il' being also provided, mounted by suitable supporting brackets to the main supportingframe il), to maintain vthe opposedV portions of the sprocket ychain' if separated and in substantially taut condition.

Referring particularly to Figures 5 and 6, the r second feed drum' is adapted to feed the trans-l versely oriented shaped stock pieces l2 into a slotting channel, generally indicatedat B, extending substantially in a horizontal plane with an entrance opening 8l Ydisposed in juxtaposed `elation to the Aperiphery of the second feed drum SG to receive the shaped stock pieces I2 in laterally abutting Y channel Si) is of substantially rectangular vertical cross section and is formed of a base member 82 mounted on the main supporting frame H), with one side wall E3 formed thereonto define one wall of the slotting channel 80 and a sideV member 3d resiliently positioned relative thereto by means of a bolt member 85 mounted in the base member 82 and extending through an opening in the side member i3d, a coil spring 36 being provided on the bolt member 85 and engaging the outer surface of the side member B to resiliently urge the side member inwardly toward the' base member 82. A pair of anged channel plates 8?, Sl are provided having their innerV iianged'edges extending over the slotted channel 86 defined ingthe base plate Y82 to engage thel upper surfaces of shaped stock pieces I2 disposed shapedstock-pleces by one of the plates as they are urged along the slotted channel 3o. is op,-

posed by an equal and opposite frictional torque upon the'opposite surface of the stock piece to counteract any'V tendeIiCY of the stock piece to relation therein. rf'he slotting rotate. i l y A circular slotting saw l95, of conventional design, is iixedly4 mounted on the verticalv shaft 96 of an electriciinotor 91 supported on mounting bracket F38 'coupled tothe main supporting frame i0, and the circular slotting sawrblade'* is positioned so thatgthe periphery of the slotting'saw blade 99 extends horizontally and later-Y allyrinto the slotting channel 33.1 The slotting saw is mounted to rotate on a vertical axis and v1s continuously driven by electric motor 9T so 'that slots'of the depth of insertion ofthe slot-j ting saw blade 99 into the slottingV channel 'Siiv are cut into the shaped stockV pieces i2 as they are advanced through the Vslotting channel 8d.

To facilitate the transfer of the shaped stock pieces into the entrance of the slotting channel 86 from the peripheral seats E3 of the second feed drum Bil, a pick-out actuator mechanism lill? is provided, comprising anY arcuate arm l pivotally mounted' on `a pivot pin'or'shaft H32 journaled on a horizontal axis above the entrance 8| of the slotting channel fifi,V the arcuatearm it! havinga laterally extending projection or finger M3Y normally extending into the path ,of the shaped stock pieces l2 seated along the periphery` jections corresponding to the peripheral seats C53/ ofthe feed drum 60 Vto displace the arcuate arm |04 in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Figure 5, sufficient to urge the shaped stock pieces from the peripheral seats B3 immediately adjacent to the entrance 8l to the slotting channel 8B from the peripheral seat 63 into the slotting channel. In this manner the shaped stock pieces I2 seated along the periphery of the second feed drum 60 are accurately transferred from the peripheral seats 63 by the feed drum into the slotting channel 8B1and forced through the slotting channel S0 in contiguous relation.

The operation of the clothespin machine illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described above, is substantially as follows: Stock pieces of a turnable material such as wood, plastic, or the like, preferably shaped in the form of cylindrical dowel of a predetermined length, are disposed in the supply hopper II and arranged along the downwardly inclined lower surface thereof near the inner opening I3 in a transversely aligned single series or layer extending along the lower surface of the feed hopper II. 'Ihe first feed drum I5 is continuously driven by means of a sprocket and chain intercoupling, consisting of sprockets I5, 'I4 and chain '16, from the second feed drum '60, the second feed drum being in turn continuously driven from electric motor 65 through sprockets 66 and 69 and chain 6B, gear reduction box 1I, and intercoup-le gears I2 and 13, the gear 'I3 together with sprocket f4 and feed drum 60 being all keyed to the shaft 6I.

As the feed drum I 5 is continuously rotated in a clockwise direction about the shaft I'I, the seats I6 in the periphery thereof are successively brought into alignment with the inwardly disposed opening I3 of the feed hopper I I to receive the stock pieces therein and advance them in a clockwise curvilinear path toward the rotary cutter head 35. The continuously driven kick-back wheel 23 driven from the auxiliary drive shaft 25 is disposed in the path of the peripheral seats I6 and the feed drum I5 to impel stock pieces rearwardly of the direction of rotation of the feed drum I5 when more than one stock piece is disposed in `any one of the peripheral seats I6, thereby insuring that the stock pieces are accurately arranged in single successive peripheral order about the feed drum I5.

The stock pieces disposed in the peripheral seats are then successively brought into position adjacent the rotary cutter head 30 continuously driven from the motor 35 where the blades 3| on the cutter head 30 engage the inwardly disposed portions of the surface of the seated stock pieces I2 through the slots 2l to cut away that portion of the surface of the stock pieces and shape them to the desired outline projection.

The stock pieces I2 at this position are likewise engaged by a dowel rotating wheel 49 disposed above the periphery of the feed drum I5 and driven from the auxiliary drive shaft 25 to continuously rotate the stock pieces I2 about their centers within the peripheral seats I6 while the stock pieces are in position to be cut by the cutter head 30 to insure symmetrical shaping of the stock pieces I 2 about their entire lateral surfaces.

Hold-down belt means 45 are likewise disposed above the periphery of the feed drum I5 and located adjacent the cutter head 30 extending over a substantial sector of the periphery of the feed drum I5 to bear upon and retain the stock pieces within their seats I 6 when the stock pieces are disposed near the cutter head 30 to insure that the blades of the cutter head 30 do not dislodge the stock pieces from their seats I6.

After engagement with the cutter head 30, the stock pieces I2 are then advanced in a clockwise path along the periphery of the drum I5 downwardly beneath a shield member 54 shaped to conform to the periphery of the feed drum I5 and prevent the stock pieces l2 from falling out of their seats as they are advanced through the lower half of the circular path defined by the periphery of the feed drum I 5. At the lower end of the shield 5d, the inner surfaces of the stock pieces I2 are engaged by the continuously driven eccentric kick-out wheel 56, operated to impel the stock pieces I2 from their peripheral seats I5 and into the transverse chute 55, by which they are conveyed in a downwardly inclined direction into corresponding peripheral seats 63 of the second feed drum 59. The stock pieces I6 seated in the peripheral seats 13 in the second feed drum 60 are advanced a short distance along an arcuate path about the drum 6B to the entrance SI of the horizontally extending slotting channel 8B, at which point the stock pieces I2 are individually impelled into the entrance 8| of the slotting channel Si] by means of the pick-out arm mechanism IDG. For this purpose, the pick-out mechanism I't comprises an actuator arm ill having a 'cam follower E635 on the end thereof engaging cam wheel I on the shaft 6I to periodically rotate the actuator arm I4 and insert a finger formation Ill?, on the end of an arcuate arm IGI between successive stock pieces I2 and impel them into the entrance I of the channel 3B.

The stock pieces are thereby forced through the slotting rchannel 8U in transversely oriented laterally contiguous relation past the continuously `driven circular saw blade 99 extending laterally into the slotting channel for cutting a slot of a preselected depth into the ends of the stock pieces -I2 as the stock pieces are advanced through the slotting channel 8G.

It will 'be apparent from the above description that a novel machine for automatically shaping and slotting turned articles such as 'clothespins and the lik-e has been provided, in which a relatively high rate of production is maintained by virtue of the fact that the stock pieces from which the finished turned larticle is to be produced are continuously advanced in an uninterrupted fashion throughout the several operations in the machine, in which uniformity and accuracy of form are rigidly maintained despite the fact that the stock lpieces are being continuously advanced while the shaping operations are being performed, the accuracy of symmetrical shaping of the surfaces of thelstock pieces being effected by means of driven rotary members engaging and rotating the surfaces of the stock pieces as the stock pieces are exposed to the cutting operations, and in which the danger `of the occurrence of tear-outs during the slotting operation on the stock pieces is greatly reduced by disposing the stock pieces in transversely aligned laterally abutting relation so that no free rearward breakout surface is provided on the stock pieces as they are being cut by the circular saw 99.

To reduce free dust in the device produced by the rotary cutter head 3e and the circular slotting saw E99, pneumatic dust-collectors, such as that indicated at I'I in dotted lines in Figure 2 of the drawings, may be disposed 4adjacent the cutter head 30 and the saw 99, these being of conventional commercially available types and do not constitute a lpart of the invention herein disclosed.

While I have particularly shown and described one particular embodiment of the invention, it is distinctly understood that the invention is not limited thereto but that various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and the scope thereof, and it is desired, therefore, that only such limitations shall be placed thereon as are imposed by the prior art and as set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A machine for making turned articles from stock pieces comprising, rotary driven carrier means having a plurality of slotted seats for positioning stock pieces in single aligned series thereon, said carrier means being driven to continuously advance said pieces in a curvilinear path, continuously driven shaper means having a rotary cutter head disposed adjacent said path and within the periphery of the carrier to successively engage exposed surfaces of said stock pieces projecting through the slots in said peripheral seats and thereby to shape the pieces as said carrier means are rotated, means for retaining said pieces disposed in said seats when positioned adjacent said cutter head, and means engaging an outwardly disposed surface of said stock pieces when in engaging relation with said cutter head to rotate said pieces within their seats in the carrier.

2. A machine for making turned articles from stock pieces comprising, a continuously driven conveyor drum having a series of 'peripheral seats therein for disposing said stock pieces in a single transversely oriented series, apertures in said seats for exposingportions of the stock pieces inwardly of the drum, power driven Shaper means having a rotary cutter head disposed inwardly of the periphery of said drum to successively engage exposed portions of said stock pieces projecting inwardly through the apertures in said peripheral seats and shape the pieces as the drum is rotated continuously, means resiliently bearing on the upper surfaces of a plurality of said stock pieces when positioned adjacent said cutter head for retaining said pieces in their seats, said means being driven at a speed different from that of the conveyer drum for rotating the stock pieces within their seats.

3. A machine for making turned articles from stock pieces comprising a rotary carrier having an overhanging rim, a plurality of spaced apertured seats in the periphery of said rim for supporting individual stock pieces with portions of said pieces exposed both inwardly and outwardly throughV the vapertures in said seats of said rim, a rotating cutter within and closely adjacent the rim of the carrier to engage inwardly exposed portions of the stock pieces, means for continuously advancing the carrier to bring successive stock pieces into engagement with the rotating cutter, and means outwardly of the rim for frictionally engaging the periphery of the stock pieces in the vicinity of the cutter for causing therpiecesl to rotate in their seats at a peripheral speed less than that of the cutter.

4. A machine for making turned articles from stock pieces comprising a rotary carrier having an overhanging rim, a plurality of spaced lapertured seats in the periphery of said rim for supporting individual stock pieces with portions of said pieces exposed both inwardly through the apertures in said seats and outwardly of said ri a rotating cutter within and closely adjacent the rim of the carrier to engage the inwardly exposed portions of the stock pieces, means for continuously advancing the carrier to bring successive stock pieces into engagement with the rotating cutter, and endless belt means outwardly of the rim for frictionally engaging the periphery of the stock pieces in the vicinity of the cutter for causing the pieces to rotate in their seats at a peripheral speed less than that of the cutter.

5. A machine for making turned articles from stock pieces comprising a rotary carrier having an overhanging rim, a plurality of spaced apertured seats in the periphery of said rim for supporting individual stock pieces with portions of said pieces exposed both inwardly through the apertures in said seats and outwardly of said rim, a rotating cutter within and closely adjacent the rim of the carrier to engage the inw-ardly exposed portions of the stock pieces, means for continuously advancing the carrier to bring successive stock pieces into engagement with 'the rotating cutter, and an endless belt disposed in a substantially curvilinear path outwardly of the rim for frictionally engaging the periphery of the stock pieces in the vicinity of the cutter for causing the pieces to rotate in their seats yat a peripheral speed less than that of the cutter.

6. A machine for making turned articles from stock pieces comprising a rotary carrier having an overhanging rim, a plurality of spaced apertured seats disposed around the periphery of the rim for supporting individual stock pieces with portions of said pieces projecting inwardly through the apertures in the seats, a rotating cutter within and closely adjacent the rim of the carrier, said cutter having axially spaced sections`in the region of the inwardly projecting portions of the stock pieces, and means outwardly of the rim for retaining and rotating'the stock pieces in their seats during the operation of the cutter thereon.

7. A machine for making turned articles from stock pieces comprising a rotary carrier having an overhanging rim, a plurality of spaced seats in the outer periphery of the rim for supporting l individual stock pieces, a plurality of slots at the bottom of the seats, means bridging the slots for supporting the stock'pieces for rotation Within the seats with portions ofthe stock pieces projecting through the apertures intorgthe interior of the rim, a, rotating cutter Within a'ndplosely adjacent the rim of the carrier, said outterhav..

ing axially spaced sections extending into oper-VY ative relation to the exposed portions of the stock between the stock-supporting bridging means, and means outwardly of the rim for retaining and rotating the stock pieces in their seats during the operation of the cutter thereon.

HILLMAN A. LISHERNESS.

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